Basilisk
The Basilisk (aka: the King of Serpents) is a snake-like monster found in thick woodlands. At a mere four to six feet long, it's fairly small compared to most other monsters. However, the Basilisk is also one of the deadliest creatures you could ever have the misfortune to encounter. Appearance and Abilities The name "basilisk" comes from an ancient equestrian phrase that loosely translates to "little crown", which refers to the small frill of silver-colored spines that adorn the creature's head and give them the appearance of wearing a small crown when fully extended (think of a cobra or a frilled lizard). These creatures can also be recognized by the vibrant color of their body, with sparking scales the same color as baby-blue sapphires and several pearl-white stripes running down their bodies. The eyes of a basilisk are described as being emerald green with flecks of gold, with black cat-like pupils. The basilisk also possesses a skeleton that's stronger than steel, making them very difficult for even the strongest and most experienced of Monster-hunters to kill. The basilisk also possesses two rows of diamond-hard, dagger-like fangs in its mouth that are capable of piercing most armor (natural or forged), and a razor-sharp arrowhead point at the tip of their tail. But the deadliest weapon in the basilisk's arsenal, and the one that gives it its fearsome and well-deserved reputation, is their venom. Venom Basilisks are the living embodiment of poison, and these creatures are so toxic that their breath is capable of killing grass and grain-based crops. The basilisk's venom is a fast-acting necrotoxin and neurotoxin, causing the flesh in the area of the bite to die and rot away while simultaneously damaging the nervous system. A single dose of basilisk venom is enough to kill 17 full-grown ponies, and the victim of a basilisk bite usually dies an excrusiatingly painful death in about 3 to 12 hours after the initial injection (depending on the size, weight, and species of the victim). Behavior Basilisks are among the most sadistic and cruel-natured animals that exist. Basilisks (unlike normal snakes) use their venom not just to catch prey and defend themselves, but to relish the suffering of their victims. No other creature is known to exhibit this kind of cruelty. Basilisks will also go out of their way to inconveinence or harm other creatures, using their toxic breath to wither crops and posion water sources. Some legends depict these creatures as being able to sustain themselves on the pain, anguish, and suffering of other creatures. Combating and Weaknesses Basilisk venom is so potent that the poison is known to leak through the scales and burn into the ground they crawl upon and kill the surrounding plant-life, which in turn makes it very easy to track a Basilisk and tell when one is in the area. Basilisks have been most sucessfully slain though the use of a powerful force-shield spell to prevent them from spreading their venom combined with a quick jab of an adamantine sword right into their skull. Combat golems that have been specially designed to keep up with the basilisk's lightning reflexes have also shown to have great sucess in wiping out these most venomous of serpents, as the venom is rendured ineffective against these non-living warriors. Trivia *Dragons and several predatory monsters are immune to their venom. The ouroboros, believed to be a close relative of the basilisk, is even able to negate the affects of the deadly venom. *If a victim of a basilisk bite is given a vial of ouroboros venom or phoenix tears shortly after the attack (or even honey badger anti-venom before the attack), the victim can make a complete recovery in roughly a week or two. *Mustelids are the Basilisk's only natural predators. Members of the Mustelidae family (including weasels, ferrets, badgers, otters, meerkats, wolverines, and mongooses) are the only non-magical creatures that are unaffected by the basilisk's venom. *One of the few regions in Celestia's Influence where basilisks can be found is the Forsaken Forest, located in unclaimed territory between Equestria, the Griffin Kingdoms, and Germaneigh. The presence of basilisks in the forest is part of the reason why it's been forsaken in the first place. Basilisks are much more common in the Outer Kingdoms and the Old World. Inspiration *"It's a Dangerous Business, Going Out Your Door" by Jetfire. *"The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan. *This. *''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'' by J.K. Rowling. *''Dragonology'' by Candlewick Press. Category:Creatures Category:Pseudodragons